Violence Reduction in Baltimore City: What's Next?

Gov. Larry Hogan in Baltimore on Tuesday announcing his crime strategy for the city.

Credit Mary Rose Madden/WYPR

Baltimore City Mayor Catherine Pugh was sworn into office one year ago today. Unemployment in Baltimore is the lowest it’s been in many years; 6,000 more people are now working than before she took office.

But all of the Mayor’s efforts, as well as those of the Police Commissioner and the City Council have been overshadowed by the violence that has plagued our city ever since the riots and uprising that followed the death of Freddie Gray in 2015. As 2017 draws to a close, Baltimore is on track to record more than 1,000 shootings, more than a third of which have ended in death.

Later in the program, Tom speaks with Akai Alston, who is working in Sandtown Winchester in a program called U-TURNS, which helps young people living in one of Baltimore’s poorest neighborhoods to build resiliency and overcome trauma, including violence.

But first, Lester Davis joins Tom in Studio A. Davis serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Baltimore City Council President Jack Young. Council President Young is the lead sponsor of a Youth Fund, which this year will total about $12 million. The fund is expected to be approved by the City Council when it meets tomorrow night.